Whilst Carl Palmer´s live band is now sporting a new young guitarist (sorry don't know his name), due to Steve Baxter (who plays on this album) suffering from severe tinnitus following a car crash, their styles and skills are very similar and at first I couldn't believe that the guy playing on Working Live Vol 1 wasn't the one I saw in concert.

All of the tracks will be well known to ELP fans, but you will never have heard them like this before. Barbarian opens the album and sets the scene for what is to come; oh-so-heavy brooding and intricate bass from the greatly talented Dave Marks, coupled with blistering guitar from Steve Baxter and, of course, pounding, weaving mesmerising percussion from the master himself. Enemy God from "Works" is an even greater vehicle for Carl to display his mighty skills. LA Nights, which ELP fans will remember featuring Joe Walsh on "Works" has a slightly more jazzy/bluesy feel and contrasts nicely with the more gothic material here (and also has an almost miraculous guitar outro), whereas the seminal Tank is supremely evocative. Bullfrog is, for me, perhaps the only slightly disappointing track, as it comes over as less tight and more discordant than the rest and with no particularly enjoyable melody. It does, however have some scorchingly fast guitar work to redeem it. Then we have the album's highlights; Ginastera's Tocatta from the classic "Brain Salad Surgery" album is nothing short of a masterpiece here. This eerie and magnificent piece has never sounded better. Then Canario (probably the only good thing from the disappointing "Love Beach" album) gives the axeman par excellence a chance to display his ample skills and will have you agog with awe. Carl then rounds the album off with the drum solo to end all solos.

Throughout this set, the musicianship is stunning - rarely will you find three musicians working so hard - each masters of their own art, but also coming together to create something far greater than the sum of its parts.

This music is heavy enough, grungy enough, gothic enough and above all, inventive enough to appeal to far more than just ELP fans, so buy this truly great live album now and play it LOUD! Also, do try to catch the band live. I guarantee you won't be disappointed! (by Cartimand)

Gerald Jay Markoe studied classical music at both Juilliard (B.A.) and the Manhattan School of Music (M.A.). Since the early 1960s, Markoe has studied meditation and astrology, and he specialized in translating the positions of the planets into music, often recording custom tapes based on a person's astrological sign. His first public album in 1988 was Music from the Pleiades, inspired by the famous poster of the constellation. Markoe formed his own music company, AstroMusic, to distribute his album, and Music from the Pleiades quickly became a bestseller in the New Age market.

I've been on the quest for good sacred space/meditation music for quite some time. I took a risk since, I really couldn't tell by the sound bytes if I'd like it. I brought it home, lit some incense, candles and got comfortable whilst I pressed 'play'. For me, it was like magic. "At first, the metallic-stringed harp reminded me of Japanese music, but as the album moves along, there's something not quite Asian, African or Middle Eastern -- but definitely mystical. I would think Markoe tapped into the "Eternal Now" so aptly put on the first track of the CD. My small, cramped bedroom was turned into a temple and I, its priestess. Well done! The great thing is that each track can apply to a specific ritual or practice and their names reflect that. The first song, I used for meditation (simply programmed to repeat over and over). The next one is great for morning or "pre-dawn devotion" as described and so on. Quite versatile and yet it doesn't command one's attention, so you can easily meditate, sleep, do yoga or journal to it without being mesmerized by the melodies. (by N. Mentor)